The Shards are iridescent and radiate light. When they are brought close to each other, they combine into a larger whole.

Should all the Crystal Shards be collected, the Crystal purges Dark Star from Queen Fairy, and 02's boss fight becomes available after the ominous mass forms nearby. Defeating 02 gives the good ending of Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards, where Kirby, Waddle Dee, Adeleine, and King Dedede are presented with medals resembling the Shards themselves. It is not known whether these are replicas or the actual Shards, as the Crystal does not fully function unless it is whole.

Crystal Shards can be found floating in each stage, or in the possession of a boss or mid-boss. Occasionally they are hidden behind colored barriers, which can only be broken by hitting them with the Copy Ability/Copy Abilities of the corresponding color(s). For example, a green and red block would correspond to Cutter and Burning, respectively, so Kirby must break it with Sword of Fire.